Arts and culture editorials from ROUGH UK, London
Valderrama's is a one-of-a-kind sports bar. The quirky 48-cover restaurant on Islington's Upper Street is kitted with retro interiors inspired by flamboyant Colombian football player, Carlos Valderrama. It’s also home to the fried chicken concept, Around the Cluck, founded by acclaimed chef James Cochran of 12:51. Inside the restaurant, patches of retro football kits and photos of footballers adorn the walls and several large screen plasma TVs broadcast live sporting and football events. We can't forget the instagrammable toilets, which feature wall-to-wall collages evoking 90s nostalgia.
We arrived just in time for their brand new menu, which featured buttermilk fried chicken burgers, thigh pieces and sides like chicken wings, fries and hash browns, all paired with creative flavours, sauces, and names like 'WTF' and 'Spice up your life.' Our main courses were the limited edition Korean-inspired 'Buff Ting' and 'WTF' burgers. The 'Buff Ting' featured two fluffy brioche buns loaded with kimchi, a tangy korean buffalo sauce, asian slaw, crunchy shrimp crackers, creamy thai basil mayo and the largest buttermilk fried chicken thigh I had ever seen. It was sloppy, but packed a powerful punch. A mildly spicy szechuan peppercorn sauce, smoked mushrooms, crispy onion rings and the signature buttermilk crispy thigh with melted American cheese comprised 'WTF.' This was just as rich as the 'Buff Ting,' but slightly better as the fillings enhanced the crispiness of the chicken batter rather than the more saucier one. Overall, both burgers were delightfully tender, flaky on the outside and bursting with flavour.
